12 Pictures of Bird Life 



photograpliic natumlist, if it could be worked at onee, before 

 the abundance of wild animal life is thinned down to the 

 level of those parts which have been shot o\er for a longer 

 period. 



But going no farther than the confines of Europe — though 

 skins and specimens, both dead and ali\'e, of almost every 

 European species are a drug in the market — tiiere is yet a 

 grand opening for photographs of the most extreme interest. 



AVe know now for certain that the Flamingo does not sit 

 astride of a tall conical mud mound, as depicted in the old 

 books ; but a photograph from life of a Flamingo sitting 

 would be worth some labour, and be more convincing than 

 a drawing. The I^ammergeyer on its natiAC rocks, the Great 

 Bustard, and the Crane woidd be fine prizes to strive for. 

 The photographing these " at home " would be ten or twenty 

 times as difficidt and a hundred times more interesting than 

 the mere feat of shooting them, and could only be done by 

 the most enthusiastic perseverance and ingemiity. 



It would be no work for the ul)i({uitous hand camera. 

 The whole apparatus, from lens to camera and tripod, would 

 need to be carefully designed for its special purpose, and 

 difficulties, as far as possible, foreseen and guarded against. 

 Some portable form of automatic release, electric or other- 

 wise, might be contri\'ed, combined perhaps on occasion by 

 a flash-lighting contrivance. 



The portability of the hand or folding pocket cameras 

 is imdoubtedly tempting to the tra^eller or s])ortsman 

 already loaded witli necessaries, and the facility Avith which 



